Cardinals Unlikely To Trade Rasmus

"DeWitt also indicated that the Cardinals would be able to add another $1.5-2MM in payroll this year if need be."

What a d-bag! 2 mil at most?? The Cards are 3rd in the league in attendence last time I checked. The fans are coming more than ever. I don't understand why in the world ownership keeps trying to nickel and dime with the payroll. I have a lot of respect for the Cards, but not their owners. I think Larussa is even getting irked by this. If not at the deadline, they better bring in a real impact player in the offseason. They owe it to the fans, and have for awhile now. The days of Kennedy and Izturis need to stop.

"If I were the Cards, there is only one player I would trade Rasmus for. Hanley Ramirez."

Well there are a few others. But Hanley is definately one of them. David Wright, Justin Upton, King Felix, Jay Bruce, etc.

Can somebody just copy and paste the whole new top 25 or something I've been wanting to know so damn bad but I havent doled out the cash for a subscription?

The Cards are 3rd in attendance, and almost always top 5 in merchandise sold, but 11th in payroll.

I do realize that his comments weren't saying he will ONLY add 2 mil...but living in St. Louis and not being a cardinals fan...I just know I'd be frustrated year after year watching all the best free agents go somewhere else time after time. I just think they owe the fans more. The fact is that they won a WS, but there was a LOT of luck involved in that. They were the team with the worst regular season record to ever win it...

All that being said...I like the Cards...I just think their ownership needs to sack up and go out and get somebody to help this team. Its time.

Trading Rasmus would be akin to the Lou Brock trade that saw Lou Brock become a Cardinal!

When the rosters expand this guy will have JUST turned 22. He's just over a year younger than Evan Longoria and it looks like he'll be a similar player. In fact, their AA seasons are very comparable with Longoria hitting about .25 points higher whilst at the AA level and Rasmus hitting for slightly more power and extra base hits. Defensively they're also comparable, Rasmus is well acknowledged as being a gifted center fielder, Longoria is staking his claim for a gold glove. This trend repeats itself at all the minor league levels. So, let me ask you this, if you were the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, would you trade Longoria? Of course not, so if you're the Saint Louis Cardinals, do you trade Colby Rasmus? Of course not.

Dan Uggla would be sweet but I don't think we have a chance.

You people who want Dan Uggla (or Hanley Ramirez) as Cardinals are really not very savvy. Neither can play defense and neither has any range. That All-Star performance by Uggla was no fluke.

I once read a comment on Joe Strauss's Q&A from a guy who wanted to move Troy Glaus to shortstop. It's sad, really.

Pitching and defense win baseball games, people. Don't believe me? Consider the Texas Rangers for the last two or three decades.

Hanley Ramirez will be the same exhibit the same quality defense in left field that he exhibits at shortstop. He will make a fine designated hitter.

The people demanding trades and complaining about money are the same people who have been complaining like that since forever. I'm curious: how do you explain 2006, 2005, 2004, and 2002? Dumb luck?

"The people demanding trades and complaining about money are the same people who have been complaining like that since forever."

Are you kidding? I live in St. Louis and haven't complained about this at all until the last couple of offseasons. People ripped on the Cubs after signing DeRosa to that contract after him having his best year...or what they called a "career" year. How has that contract looked so far? Now compare that to Kennedy...whom they got because they wanted to save a little money. Nice...

They have a great manager and great pitching coach...but there has been a lot of luck involved.

1. Pujols - luck they have him. Picked in round 40 something??
2. Ankiel - luck he is contributing offensively right now.
3. 2006 WS - luck they made the playoffs with 83 wins, and luck they won it. Honestly...Jeff Weaver??

Now...please hear what I'm saying. I respect the Cardinals, and I really like the way the organization is run for the most part. And 2004-2006 were teams that deserved to be where they were. They had talent on both sides of the ball and played awesome defense. Those teams don't field guys like Izturis at SS...

youngowens,

I don't disagree with anything you said. I also agree that you have to factor in the good with the bad. I don't think they should trade Rasmus. I do think they should be trying to package Reyes, Duncan, and Brian Anderson to somebody, because those are all parts that have value to other teams, while the Cards wouldn't miss them much. Trading Rasmus probably doesn't make any sense unless they were able to bring back someone very, very good. I'm not sure anyone on the market is worth giving up the #4 prospect in the country for.

My whole beef, if I were a Cardinal fan, would be ownership. They have been raking money in this decade, especially since the new stadium was built. Like I said earlier, they days of your starting SS being Casar Izturis need to be over. Actually, they never should have started.

Joel,

I know you don't agree...but from what you were saying...you almost sounded like you did.

"what sucks is that the stadium is selling out as it is so its harder for ownership to see the financial reward."

"of course im fairly certain they were raking it in after 06."

"50 bucks for a sweatshirt?"

Again...you have the 3rd highest attendence, top 5 in merchandise...and as a Cards fan, you are happy with being 11th in payroll? Really?

Inherent in this 11th in payroll/third in attendance argument is the premise that ticket prices are the same. They're not.

The current average price of a ticket to see the Cardinals play is $29.32. The average price to see the Yankees play is $34.05. The Mets: $36.58. The Red Sox: $48.80. The Cubs: $42.49.

Therefore, it is a bogus argument, much like the idea that Dan Uggla can field.

"They have a great manager and great pitching coach...but there has been a lot of luck involved.

1. Pujols - luck they have him. Picked in round 40 something??
2. Ankiel - luck he is contributing offensively right now.
3. 2006 WS - luck they made the playoffs with 83 wins, and luck they won it. Honestly...Jeff Weaver??"

For one thing, Pujols was taken in the 13th or 14th round, we arent talking about Mike Piazza here in the 64th round.

For another, Jeff Weaver was not a bad pitcher till he went to the AL West (which apparently is his cryptonite), sucked horribly, came to the Cardinals, did mediocre and then great in the playoffs, then like an idiot went back to the AL West and pretty much ruined his career.

In 05, this guy was the Dodgers ace, and he was actually really good.